Pro-Active Living: 5 Ways To Stay Active After Treatment

Rehab is a time spent learning the skills needed to stay sober and build a life free of drugs and alcohol. The time spent there is intense. After 30 to 90 days, you return to your regular life a changed person ready to face old routines with newfound sobriety. But this time can be tough. You may have returned to familiar surroundings, but old memories and temptations may get in the way of new goals. Here are 5 ways to stay focused and activeafter treatment.

1. Get in touch with the sober community.

Addictions often begin through pressure from friends and peers. So the people you choose to spend time after completing treatment with have a much bigger impact than you think. Old friends may not take your sobriety seriously or won’t support you in your new lifestyle.

This can easily lead to the temptation to drink or use again, and finally to a relapse. Getting in touch with other newly sober people for fun and activities is a good idea. You can go out and have a good time any day of the week without having the pressure to drink or use drugs. Getting sober friends is a good idea during this early stage as you will get stronger and adjust to a new life.

2. Take a look at your surroundings.

Going back to a former home or neighborhood can be hard. This can put you back in direct contact with old friends, dealers, or locations that you strongly associate with drinking or doing drugs. Even the people you live with, like spouses, partners, or family members, can still be using.

Sometimes these associations can trigger cravings for drugs that are overwhelming. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to move and get a truly fresh start.

3. Continue the process of recovery.

Just because you’re out of rehab doesn’t mean the treatment stops there. It’s important to stay active in your recovery and utilize any resources available. This could mean participating in aftercare treatment, joining a 12 step group, or making a regular habit of seeing a counselor or therapist. Stay on top of each activity and consider each one an important step of the whole recovery process.

4. Focus on health.

Both your physical and mental health are a big part of recovery. It may not be so obvious, but getting exercise and doing things that combat stress, anxiety, and depression will make a huge difference. Participate or learn about activities that can help with this. Therapy, group counseling, meditation, or outdoor activities are very healing.

5. Offer your service to others.

During recovery it can be easy to spend too much time and energy focused on yourself. A big part of a successful recovery is reaching out to help others. You can do this by sponsoring another sober person, volunteering. or just being there for friends in need.